Unzipping the backpack, she pulled out a bag filled with her collection of sea glass. Her eyes blurred with tears. "It's all here. She didn't throw anything away."
"She was waiting for you to come back," Braden said.
"I missed so much," she said, feeling incredibly emotional at the reminders of her childhood. "I think back to what my life would have been like if my parents never got divorced, all the happy summers I would have had here." She raised her eyes to his. "I really hate divorce."
"I know," he said quietly. "But you're back now, and maybe you can do something with the sea glass."
"Maybe I can." She stared at the glass for a moment, and then set it aside. There was something else in the backpack – something blue.
Her heart stopped again. "Braden, look." She put her hand around the neck of the shimmering blue bottle and pulled it out, holding it up between them. "The genie's bottle. I forgot all about it. We found it that last day on the beach. We closed our eyes and made a wish…"
She thought about that day, seeing it so clearly and vividly in her mind now. And the wish rang clearly through her head. I wish Braden would fall in love with me.
Her breath caught in her throat. Fifteen years later, and she had the same exact wish.
She looked up from the bottle to meet Braden's gaze. There was an odd light in his eyes, as if he were remembering something, too.
"What did you wish for?" she asked.
He shook his head. "I don't remember."
"I think you do."
He drew in a long, slow breath and then let it out. "I wished you would come back, Alexa."
Her heart began to race. "I'm back now, Braden. Your wish came true."
"I guess it did." He stared at her for a long moment and then leaned forward to kiss her.
She put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. "If you kiss me again, you can't just stop, you can't run off," she warned. "I can't take the back and forth, Braden. You have to decide if you want me or not."
"What do you want, Alexa?" he asked, meeting her gaze
She let a minute tick off the clock, before she said the only thing she could say, "I want you."
He swallowed hard and stood up. "Let's go."
"Where?" she asked, barely getting out the word, as she scrambled to her feet, the bottle still clutched in her hand. She was suddenly afraid to let go of it. Maybe it was the magic of the bottle wrapping around them, pushing them in the direction they were always meant to go.
"To your hotel," he said.
"Really? Are you going to change your mind when the cold air and reality hits you in the face?"
"Are you?" he countered.
"I guess we'll find out."
Chapter Fifteen
Luckily it was a short trip from the antique store to the Cheshire Inn. They didn't speak a word on the way over. Nor did they talk when they took the elevator to the third floor. No words were spoken when she unlocked the door, and they stepped into her room.
Alexa tossed her key down on the dresser, very aware of the king-size bed taking up the center of the room.
Braden had stopped a few feet away from her. She didn't know if he was changing his mind or giving her enough space to change hers.
Tension pulsed in the air between them. She kicked off her flats, then took off her sweater and tossed it over the chair. She felt nervous and excited and worried all at the same time.
Was it too soon? Should they spend more time getting to know each other as adults?
Was it too late? Had they already missed their moment in time?
Were the same doubts going through Braden's mind? She needed him to say something, do something.
Her gaze followed his hands as they moved to the edge of his T-shirt. In one swift action, he pulled the shirt up and over his head, tossing it on the bed.
Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at his beautifully chiseled chest, the fine dark hairs, and the rippled, well-defined muscles. The man had abs. He also had a long white scar under one rib, a reminder of what he'd been through.
Now she was the one who needed to say something, do something.
He was waiting. He was watching.
God! She was suddenly terrified. She found everything about him incredibly appealing, and she was suddenly very aware of the fact that she hadn't worked out in a few weeks. Would he be disappointed? Would she live up to the fantasy in his mind? Doubt assailed her.
"Don't think so much," Braden said.
Her gaze met his. She licked her lips. "You look really good."
"It's your turn, Alexa," he said.
She wished he would take the decision out of her hands, pull her forward, rip off her clothes, but he seemed far more interested in watching her undress herself.
She'd stripped in front of a man before, but not this man, and all the others seemed hugely unimportant now, as if they'd only been placeholders until she could find Braden again.
She'd found him. She was here. They were both in the same place at the same time.
"I feel like I'm standing on the edge of a cliff," she murmured.
"I'm not going to let you fall," he said.
"No, but you might make me jump."
"Only if you want to."
"I always want to jump when I'm with you – whatever it is we're doing."
"I feel the same way, but if it's too soon –"
She shook her head, cutting him off. "No, it's definitely not too soon." She grasped the edges of her knit top and then pulled it over her head, shaking out her hair as she put her shirt on top of her sweater. She was grateful she'd worn one of her prettier bras for this occasion. The soft pink shell was one of her favorites.
Braden's eyes sparkled. "You're beautiful, Alexa. I knew you would be."
"Did you? I was skinny before." She crossed her arms in front of her waist.
"I like your curves," he said on a husky note. He bridged the gap between them and put his hands on her waist. His fingers were hot against her skin. She could suddenly picture those hands all over her body. "Let's see the rest," he said, pulling the zipper down on her jeans.
She helped him slide her jeans off. Once, free, she kicked them away, meeting Braden for a deep, sensual kiss. There was no hurry now, just desire, intention. Braden was going to make love to her, and he was going to take his time. His lips slid along her jawline, down the curve of her neck. His tongue grazed her collarbone. "You still have some of your freckles," he said, his mouth touching the flurry of light spots along the top curve of her breast.
Her chest was so tight she found it hard to breathe. His slow, sexy, deliberate moves were killing her.
She gripped his shoulders as his tongue slid along the edge of her bra. Her nipples ached, and she almost groaned with relief when he flicked aside the material and his mouth enveloped her nipple.
"Too slow," she muttered.
"Not slow enough," he said, raising his head. He gave her a wicked smile and then dropped to his knees.
Her heart skipped another beat.
He pressed his lips to her belly button, his fingers flirting with the edge of her lacy thong. And then his mouth followed the same path.
"What's this?" he asked in surprise.
"What?" she asked dazedly. She glanced down and saw his finger tracing the tattoo on her left hip.
"A butterfly, like the ones you used to chase."
"And could never catch," she said. "You used to say I shouldn't try. Some things should be free."
"And you wanted to be free," he said, standing up so he could look into her eyes. "You wanted to be the butterfly. You wanted to fly away from all your problems at home."
"More than anything," she replied. "That urge got stronger after we left here and I became my mother's anchor."
"When did you get the tattoo?"
"After college, after I found out you were married. I went for a long walk on our favorite beach. I knew I couldn't capture the past again, but I wanted that feeling I'd
had with you when I was a young girl. I wanted to feel free."
He smiled. "So you put a butterfly on your ass."
"To remind me to fly." She paused. "But I haven't done much flying. I've been too afraid to even look up at the sky. I've just kept my head down and pressed forward like I'm on some long march to nowhere."
"Not anymore," he said firmly. "I want you to fly, Alexa."
"Let's fly together." She pressed her mouth against his and then reached for the snap on his jeans.
They made fast work of the rest of their clothes. Slow and deliberate turned to fast and impatient.
When they were both naked, she smiled in delight. "Wow, I had no idea you were going to grow up to be so hot."
He grinned. "Likewise."
And then they tumbled onto the bed together. They explored each other's bodies with wonder and passion, a mix of the old and the new, the sweet and the sexy. There was none of the usual awkwardness of a first hook up. It was as if they'd been waiting for this moment for fifteen years and their bodies knew exactly what to do. They'd always been in sync. They'd always known what the other was thinking without having to ask. Being with Braden was absolutely and completely right. Alexa felt as if she'd finally come all the way home.
* * *
Alexa woke up hours later. It was night. The hotel room was dark, and the digital clock read eight-fifteen. She didn't want to move. She was very warm and comfortable tucked up against Braden's side, her head on his chest. She could hear the change in his breath, and she lifted her head to look at him.
He opened his eyes and gave her a slow, appreciative smile. "Hey there," he said, his hand running up her bare back. "What time is it?"
"It's after eight o'clock."
His gaze sharpened. "Seriously? We were out that long?"
"Yes, apparently, we were both worn out," she replied, thinking about all the wild and wonderful things they'd done together.
"We had a lot of time to make up for," he said. A hint of doubt entered his eyes. "Was it what you imagined it would be like?"
"It was better, Braden, because it was real. It wasn't a dream where I woke up alone, feeling empty and sad and missing you."
"I had a few of those dreams myself."
Her stomach rumbled, and she flushed with embarrassment. "That wasn't pretty."
He laughed. "I'm hungry, too."
"I wish the inn had room service."
"We can order something in."
She liked the idea that he didn't want to go out, that he didn't want to get dressed and leave her. Now that she had him in her bed, she wasn't eager to let him go. "Delivery sounds good."
"I can recommend the Hot Wok if you're interested in Chinese take-out. I'm actually on a first name basis with Han, the owner's son. I've been doing nothing but take-out the last two months. I'll call, if you hand me my cell phone."
She pulled the loose sheet off the bed and wrapped it around her as she searched for his phone.
"Hey, you're blocking my view," he teased from the bed, not looking at all inhibited in his naked pose.
But then why should he try to cover up? He had an amazing body.
"You've seen enough of me for now," she said, tossing him his phone.
"I should be able to say when I've seen enough."
"Just make the call." She used the bathroom, then put on one of the courtesy robes provided by the inn. When she returned to the room, Braden had his boxers on, and was talking on the phone. She sat back down on the bed.
"I hope you ordered plenty of food," she said, as he ended the call. "I'm starving."
"You always could eat a lot for a skinny girl."
"Not so skinny now."
"Stop it, you're gorgeous. I mean it, Alexa. You're pretty from the inside out. You're my summer girl."
She smiled. "I still think you should finish my song."
"Maybe you'll help me write a few more verses."
"Maybe I will," she said.
He leaned over and kissed her. "You know, Han usually takes at least a half hour to deliver."
"Really?" she murmured against his mouth. "How will we pass the time?"
"I've got a few ideas," he said, pulling her on to his lap.
* * *
"Sex, chow mein, late night TV, more sex. What a great night," Alexa murmured as the sun streamed through the window Saturday morning. "What could be better?"
"More sex," Braden suggested with a sleepy smile.
She loved his morning hair, mussed and curling around his face, the dark shadow of beard along his jawline. Most of all she loved waking up next to him. "You have a one track mind," she teased, propping her head up on one elbow as she rolled on to her side to face him.
"Yeah, and you're on it. We're making up for lost time."
"If we're making up for fifteen years, I don't think you'll be leaving for a while."
"Fine with me."
"Seriously, Braden…"
"Seriously?" he teased, turning on his side to look at her. "Should I be worried where this conversation is now going?"
"I just wanted to say that I'm glad you stayed." She thought about how many times she'd wondered during the night if he would be there when she woke up. "I had this terrible feeling, I'd wake up and you'd be gone."
"If I'd wanted to leave, I wouldn't have taken off without a word," he said quietly. "I would have told you. I would have said good-bye. You can trust me, Alexa."
Relief flooded through her. "I want to trust you."
"What's stopping you?"
"All my baggage. My dad didn't sneak out in the middle of the night, but he left really fast, and it took me a long time to come to grips with his absence."
"I understand. You're scared to end up like your mom, but that won't ever happen, Alexa, because you're not her. You're strong, independent, determined. You won't ever let a man break you."
"I hope not. Love scares me. Need terrifies me. I like to have control, because I don't get hurt when I'm in charge."
"You also don't get loved as well. I'm going to try not to hurt you, Alexa."
"I don't know if you realize how much power you have over me, Braden."
"It goes both ways, honey."
She sighed. "I wish we could stay here for a really long time. I don't want to think about the future or the past, I just want to be in this moment and freeze it in time."
"It's Saturday, and even if it wasn't, neither of us is working at the moment. We don't have to go anywhere, do anything, answer to anyone. We're as free as that butterfly on your sexy ass." He gave her a playful swat.
She smiled. "I like you like this, Braden. You're you again. When I first saw you, you were so cold and distant. You were like a stranger to me."
"I'd been living in a fog for months," he admitted. "But being with you again reminded me that life doesn't really suck as much as I thought it did."
She picked up the pillow and playfully hit him with it. "Life doesn't suck? How about a better adjective?"
He put up an arm to ward off her blows. "Okay, being with you is the most amazing, fantastic experience of my life."
"Better," she said, sitting back on her heels.
"Seriously, Alexa."
She licked her lips as his expression grew somber. "Seriously?"
"This is the best moment of my life," he said.
"You're exaggerating. It's the after sex glow."
"Then I'll tell you again tomorrow."
"Does that mean we won't be having sex today?" she asked with a grin.
"Not a chance. How do you feel about a shower?"
"I've always wanted someone to wash my hair."
"I'll wash anything you want," he said, grabbing her hand.
They scrambled off the bed and into the bathroom. The shower warmed up fast, steaming up even more as Braden made good on his promise.
* * *
It was afternoon by the time they finally got dressed. Alexa felt the mood slowly change as they put on their cloth
es. Reality was seeping back in, and she wasn't sure either one of them was ready for it.
Her cell phone rang, making her even more aware of the fact that they were not living on their own desert island. There were other people in the world, people she'd been neglecting, she realized, as she saw the hospital name flash across the screen. She hoped something hadn't gone wrong for her aunt while she was having the time of her life.
"Hello," she said quickly.
"It's Phoebe," her aunt said.
She relaxed at the cheery note in her aunt's voice. "Is everything all right?"
"Just fine, dear. I was wondering if you could do me a favor."
"Anything. What do you need?"
"Could you go by my house and pick up my mail and bring it to me?"
"Of course," she said.
"That would be wonderful. I've been expecting a letter, and the doctor says I can't go home until Monday. I don't know why. I'm doing much better. I feel like my head is starting to clear."
"That's good. I'm so glad. I'll be over in about a half an hour, okay?"
"You don't have to rush. Edwin is on his way. We'll play cards and pass the time. Whenever you get to it is fine."
Alexa hung up the phone and met Braden's questioning gaze. "My aunt wants me to pick up her mail."
"I'll go with you," he said.
"Really? We're doing errands together now?"
He grinned. "See how you have your hooks in me?"
She laughed and followed him to the door.
As she grabbed her key off the dresser, her gaze caught on the shimmering blue bottle. Maybe the magic was finally starting to work.
Chapter Sixteen
Phoebe's home brought to life more memories in Alexa's mind. She'd been in the house six years ago, but she'd spent so much time talking to her aunt that she hadn't really looked around. Now, she decided to take a few moments. She didn't have to go far to hit the past. Her aunt had a wall of photographs in the living room, family members at every stage of their lives.
"I wonder if I'm in any of these," she murmured.
Just a Wish Away Page 18